1963 Gasser

[6 Shooter]

​

The gasser wars. Back in the '60s, while Corvettes were duking it out with Cobras on road courses, supercharged Gassers were fan favorites on dragstrips across America. These wild, nearly uncontrollable machines were headliners at events around the country. With their short wheelbases and ungainly body styles, the Gassers were a challenge to drive and fun to watch-from a safe distance. Many of the earlier machines ran Oldsmobile or Cadillac power, but as the years progressed, entries with blown Chevy V-8s and Chrysler Hemis appeared.

D&M Corvette Specialists builds a 63 Gasser - Vette Magazine

 

[Mike Terry]

I would bet that was a wild car to ride in. Very cool.

 

[sub006]

This photo must be fairly recent, most straight-axle "Vettes had NO front brakes, and this one has discs. That makes it better for street cruising and tours.

But I can understand why racers left the weight of any front brakes off. When you're doing 120 mph or more, the skinny front tires may not have added much stopping assistance, especially once the gassers got parachutes.